


In the Aftermath, we Fix Each Other

by arithmadick2_0 (orphan_account)



Category: Scorpion (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Toby or Not Toby Aftermath Fic, emotional angst, fluff ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 18:52:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6578302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/arithmadick2_0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their battles remain long after Collins is gone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Aftermath, we Fix Each Other

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own shit. 
> 
> I woke up at 3:40 AM this morning and decided to write this. First thing in a while but lots of projects are coming.  
> It's a softer angst but angst all the same.  
> I love how this fic ended up being structured. Let me know what you think. 
> 
> Feedback appreciated.

Her mind is still racing as she processes the fact that Toby’s arms are around her, he is pressing kisses into her head and rubbing her arms and telling her she is going to be okay,  _ they _ are going to be okay, but she’s unable to believe him just yet. His wrists are burned from the string pressing into them, neck sore from being in the same position for so long. The acid never touched him, though, and while Mark Collins was smart he was never a fighter so Toby’s injuries are otherwise so minor he doesn’t see it necessary to stop into a hospital. He makes a joke about almost dying but not and if it weren’t for Happy gripping one of his hands as tight as she does tools she would elbow him in the stomach and tell him to quit it. 

The situation doesn’t settle into her mind before they are showering together, feeling the warm stream of water come down over them and wash away dirt with worry and fear with sweat. The scent of his shampoo seems too safe after the day that unfolded but nonetheless Happy’s skilled hands work it into his curls and he returns the favor to her. They are careful with the other’s body, minor bruising covering both of them that neither want to upset. There were too many possibilities of injury today and they can’t add another. The water is turned off and the pair steps out, wrapping one another in towels and patting off the water. Happy steals a shirt and boxers of Toby’s for the night and he slips on the latter with nothing else. Curling up in bed they find a way to both hold and be held- give the comfort they know the other is in desperate need of while still receiving it. They slip into sleep easily, not yet talking about the day as friends, couple, or doctor and patient. Just sleep.

* * *

The demons come soon after. Nightmares on both ends that steal their breath and ability to speak. Rambled, broken sentences about seeing the other half-dead that keeps rest from them for days. Toby’s always been better at comforting Happy than the reverse and despite how hard she tries she is always worried he needs more. He is never lulled back to slumber by her voice or touch like he is able to do for her. When she asks what she can do he instructs her not to let go, no more no less, and she grasps into thin air for the answer of what will help him. She winces when he sees him drink four cups of coffee before they leave for work the next day although does not seem to realize her second place spot to him is close as she downed three herself. 

Patrick sees through the concealer applied under her eyes and frowns. He remembers this from the trauma of losing Grace and the regret of giving up his daughter. Only being allowed to sleep as much to not fall unconscious seemingly a punishment for the mistakes made in saving Toby. As long as they are together, neither care.

Happy screams louder but Toby thrashes out harder and both have sore ears and bodies in the mornings. Toby has spoken with her about the nightmares, about being tied in the chair with his life at the stake of dental floss and one wrong step. Happy stays quiet, offering the support she can through a tight hug and a gentle kiss to his neck aside a whispered ‘I love you.’ His grip around her tightens and she breathes in relief because if he is ready to heal then she is ready to move on with him. To help him.

It is harder than she thinks when he tells her that his healing is connected to hers and he is aware that this is still hurting her.

She chalks it up to excuses- she’s a robot, has never had to do this before, her plate is too full to fall behind on trying to process what happened. She ponders telling him she simply needs more time but squashes the idea knowing he’ll see through her more quickly than one would an open window. She is not numb and Happy tells herself that for right now it is enough. Toby worries if she won’t be able to pull out of the hole she is in.

* * *

 

Cases follow the event as Scorpion never stops and there’s always one more evil bastard surfacing in the world. Happy takes the brunt of the physical, stepping in when no one else will and conquering the threat of death or other injury, sometimes just narrowly enough and she needs a hand back to the van, into their apartment, and for getting to bed. Toby’s fear is still present. The break they got after saving him was nice, necessary, but ineffective in Happy’s processing and he knows they need to talk soon. He glances at her sleeping form, not a hair out of place, and wants to cry but she’s always been a light sleeper and she’s the one who needs to do the talking, not him. He imagines she would roll her eyes at his expression of concern so true it comes through shaky breaths and continuous tears but when Happy looks into the mirror and asks herself the same questions-  _ should I have healed? Will I be able to heal? _ \- she cannot answer it completely, only with a nagging feeling that the answer comes with Toby. She does not know how to reach out for help. 

The team doesn’t want to press her. Toby is safe, knows the reality of his experience backwards and forwards and has accepted it. The occasional nightmare does not phase him and she always lends an ear for him without taking one in return. New events bring on more that she also chooses not to talk about despite how hard Toby tries, how often he tells her she is loved and has a support system. He does not know if she doesn’t believe him, or can’t.

* * *

Toby has seen Happy in many states- anger, despair, happiness, more anger- but never like this. He has never thought or expected he would come face-to-face with Happy, the angry, robotic, love-of-his-life Happy, and see her clutching onto his pillow for life and crying. They’re racking sobs that steal her coherence, her ability to speak her fears and sadness to Toby. He is at her side in a matter of seconds, stroking her hair and consoling her as best as he can, not akins a single question. She slips straight into sleep but he recognizes it may be the longest she has or will sleep in months and doesn’t wake her the next morning. 

She arrives at the garage an hour later than him and shoots him a text stating they need to talk at home. She declines any and all offers to be taken out for lunch or talked to, even by Ralph, and settles herself under a car or behind her welding mask for the day. When she moves to leave she hears Toby follow.

Starting with an apology that confuses Toby, Happy says she hasn’t ever dealt with being so scared of losing someone and the thought has continued to plague her nearly nine months after the incident that had Collins placed in a different psychiatric hospital thousands of miles away. Continuing, she releases the truth about how angry she was, how fearful at the probability he would die. Her breathing rapidly speeds up and slows, words rambled followed by lulls of silence as she gathers her next line of thought. Toby quietly listens, gathering responses for her but keeping them to herself until she tells him that’s the end and she has divulged all of it, nothing left in the shadows. He starts with a tight hug, tangling a hand in her hair and kissing her forehead, thanking her for trusting him so much. There is a distinct new lightness to Happy and she knows that even if more thoughts surface, she is now strong enough to battle them. She can’t figure out why she wasn’t in the first place but chooses to not dwell.

Toby addresses everything she said from her concern to her lack of effort to process. He lets her know she is not, nor will she ever be, alone. That she’ll always have him in some kind of shape and he likes to think the same of her for himself. The words bring a small smile to her face and she meets him in another hug, her weight moving to sit on his lap as his arms encase her waist so she can finish gluing all of her pieces back together once more.

Talking wears her out and it always has. She falls asleep on his shoulder and he laughs softly at the sight, picking her up and protecting her all the way to the bedroom, until both are in pajamas and she moans at his scruff lightly nuzzling her cheek. He had told her once that their healing, for him, was intertwined and he hopes now she is understanding why. The risk of Collins is long gone but his control lasted longer than Toby had thought. He shakes his head as they’re all really safe now. In the morning Paige will smile at him knowingly when they walk into the garage together. Ralph will be excited Happy is talking readily about projects again and Sly is relieved everything is back to normal. Walter is likely the happiest for his two friends, family even though the word still feels funny in his mouth. Cabe and Patrick will share their relief over a beer at Kolvelsky’s. Everything will be right.

But the morning is hours away and not what’s important in the moment. Happy is safe. She is learning from him how to be human and all the what ifs that come to his mind he doesn’t waste a breath on. He tries to quiet his brain, a problem that has struck all of them since they were small. Toby buries his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of lemons and home as he drifts into dreamland himself. All they do is sleep. 


End file.
